Kitty Acne

[anoushka]

My big boy, Norman, seems to have a case of kitty acne on his chin. I looked this condition up in my cat book & it seems to happen mostly to "only kitties." Norman has an older sister, but she does not groom him as much as he grooms her.

My book didn't offer a solution to Normie's problem, other than cleaning the afflicted kitty's chin for him (and antibiotics if the condition worsens). Has anybody else dealt with this?

All suggestions are appreciated.

Thanks,
Annette

[AmberLee]

??? We've had threads that dealt with this before, but I don't remember all the tips that were suggested. Perhaps if you search on cat AND acne in the search area it would help?

[sasvermont]

I would visit the Vet and get advice from him/her.

If you wash the cat's chin each day, it may prevent the acne. Also, try not to use plastic dishes at all and feed the cat on a flat plate rather than a bowl, that way the chin will be less likely to get in the food.

I have also heard of folks using a diluted solution of water and 3% peroxide to clean the cat's face.

Hope this helps. I think if you do a "search" on the older threads, you will see a few posts on this subject!

Keep us posted as to how it is going for you and the CHIN!



Sas

[anoushka]

Thanks!

[catland]

sas is right. I once had a cat with kitty acne and I thought she was just old (she was!). But when our new kitten developed it also, I mentioned this to the vet and was warned about plastic bowls. (We were using inexpensive plastic bowls for water). Sure enough, I stopped using the plastic and the acne went away and the fur grew back on both of their chins.


My current crop of kitties now get their dry food in a plastic tower feeder, and their water in stainless steel bowls, and none of them have ever had kitty acne.

[anoushka]

Thank you all for your suggestions. Yes, I was feeding the kids from plastic bowls. I bought new stainless steel dishes this weekend, and I am keeping my fingers crossed. One problem is that Norman and Isabelle (Norman's sister) are terrified of the new dishes. How they hate change!! I know they will get over their fears, but I feel so sorry for them. Dinner time was one of their big excitements of the day!

I'm also cleaning Norman's chin each day with cotton soaked in a light saline solution (this was a tip from my cat care book). No new outbreaks to report. Let's hope this clears up "the problem."

[moosmom]

Anoushka,

My cat Maya Linn has kitty acne. I wash it with an exfoliating glove soaked in a medicated cat shampoo. Then I put 10% Benzoil Peroxide on it (at the advice of my vet). Maya Linn doesn't seem to mind it and it does help clear it up. All their dishes are stainless steel once I learned that plastic harbors bacteria.

Good luck with your kitty!

[anoushka]

Thanks, Donna!

Have I ever learned my lesson about cheap plastic bowls! I've had kitties for almost 20 years and I've never had to deal with this before.

A

[Rachel]

Originally posted by anoushka
. I bought new stainless steel dishes this weekend, and I am keeping my fingers crossed. One problem is that Norman and Isabelle (Norman's sister) are terrified of the new dishes. How they hate change!! I know they will get over their fears, but I feel so sorry for them. Dinner time was one of their big excitements of the day!

Some stainess steel dishes are very reflective, others have a brushed metal appearance. My dogs can't deal with the reflective ones. I think they could see themselves in it.

I still use one plastic water dish for my dogs. Maybe I need to reconsider based on this thread. Guess us dog people can learn a thing or two by popping over to the kitty side.

[sasvermont]

I use china rather than stainless steel. I've never had a problem. I wash them when I wash my daily dishes and that has kept my cats happy so far. I put their dry food in a ceramic (china...whatever) serving bowl....and the wet food, at night on flat <------- important too, salad dishes.... then pick them up when they are through and dump 'em in the water in the sink....cat food isn't that awful that I worry about food contamination etc.....with my own eating habits....

[Pam]

I too use ceramic bowls for the kitties and dog. In fact the main water dish in the kitchen is a very heavy ceramic bowl because Bella had tried to carry the lighter weight one around (what a mess) and Andy, who loves to bathe in the water bowl, was causing it to upset (more mess). This bowl that I have now stays put no matter what they try.

[anoushka]

I am happy to report that Norman & Isabelle have adjusted well to their new dishes & Normie has had no new outbreaks!

We just need to keep out fingers crossed that his chin hair grows back. The loss of it makes him look a bit like a sourpuss!

Rachel's post about the reflective aluminum dishes gave me pause for thought, since that is the type I bought for the kids. After a few days of gingerly approaching the new dishes, they seem to have gotten over their fears. I've also switched to plain salad plates for the kid's wet food (one can at night & one bowl of dry in the morning). They do create a mess pushing the food off the dish, though! Yuck! Maybe Norman will lose weight this way, but that is another story!!

Thanks to all for your helpful ideas & advice! I'll keep you updated about the "chin condition"!!

A

[anoushka]

Donna,

I forgot to ask - does Maya Linn still have kitty acne even though she is fed from stainless dishes?

A

[moosmom]

Anoushka,

Yes she does still have it. But I took her to the vet today and she prescribed Cepha Drops (antibiotic) for 10 days and acne pads for kitties called Malaseb. You rub it on their chin 2-3 times a day and then distract the cat for a couple of minutes while it dries (smells like they have alcohol in them) so they don't lick it off. $59 later Maya Linn is on her way to becoming a zitless wonder!! Heck, I never had that much acne when I was a kid.

I took her to the vet because it seemed like the other treatment wasn't working. The vet said it could very well be infection or virus from the inside that's causing it.

Good luck with your kitty. I'll let ya know how this stuff works and how long it takes to see results.

[sujei]

WOW. now i am so curious. do u think one of u pet talkers with a kitty suffering from acne could post a picture. I AM JUST SO CURIOUS!!! By the way. thnx for the tips cause i am getting a kitty next month and now i will be buying stainless steel dishes from the beginning. thnx a lot guys